Friends Are Drawn Together Into Something New
by sweet-and-simple
Summary: This is my sequel to 'This is how friendship is born'. Gaara and Lee meet again in the chuunin exams, and Gaara can not forget about their one time of fun as children... -alternate ending to the chuunin exams.
1. We meet again

"…Gaara-kun?"

For a moment, I forget to breathe… I know that voice, quite well.

Surrounded by people who are gossiping about my bloody deeds, terrified of what I am; they don't bother to know _who_ I am. They stand close to their sensei's and hold onto them as if they are children trying to hide from the big bad monster.

I should have known they would react like this; even my brother and sister do, this shouldn't surprise me…

And it doesn't…

Until that voice came out from the crowd.

"Gaara-Kun!" Turning around, I come nearly face to face with a green-clad boy with a familiar bowl cut and expressive eyebrows; his black eyes are dancing with what would seem to be joy, and an easy smile covered his face.

He darted towards me, only coming within a few feet before I was unable to stop my barrier from stopping his advance; he stops at the boundaries set out, and smiles knowingly.

"Yosh! I had forgotten about your ultimate defense!… This makes it very difficult for me to embrace you as I had wished!" He struck a pose, winking one eye as he thrust one leg behind himself, one arm in front of him, stuck a thumb up, and smiled largely. It is so oddly familiar, I feel at ease.

He hasn't changed at all, not in all of they years since he had first came to Suna and played one child's game with me…

"It is no matter! I shall enjoy your company from a distance! May we carry on a conversation as we watch our fellow genin fight for their privilege to become chuunin?"

Mutely, I nod, turning my eyes back to the stadium as I waited for the first announcement. I heard him as he moved as close to my side as possible before the unmistakable hiss of sand began anew. He leaned over the rail, watching on with excitement and impatience for the first match to be announced.

Moments of silence pass; around me, I hear so many voices… all of them are wondering what is wrong with the boy next to me, if I forced him to be there…

If this is another assassination attempt.

It's a good question… I don't know if he's been coerced or not into deceiving me by using the… acquaintance… we had made upon our first meeting.

"How has your life been, Gaara-kun?" I turn my head slightly, eyeing him. He doesn't look any different, and he hardly looked as if he would stab me in the back if he had the chance.

Then again, I thought the same about my uncle before he attempted to do so. Love was a funny thing, with how it was cruel and mocking.

Mutely, I nod again. I know it wasn't a correct answer to his question, but there is no reason for me to waste words on a boy I hardly remember.

Either way, he giggles as if I had gone into a explicit, detailed tale of my life up until this point.

Wordlessly, a small, warm smile on his face, he turns back to the fight going on, the first match having been called and begun. We don't speak again until a victor is named and the injured person who lost is taken away.

In my mind, Shukaku whispers so sweetly about what we should do to people who were so weak… And I entertained myself by listening to him.

"Gaara-kun…"

He reaches for me, as if he thinks that he could touch me now, as if there was a difference from when he had tried earlier.

Surprisingly, there is; his hand lands softly on my shoulder. Shukaku begins screaming bloody murder, but I can ignore him when I wish. I merely stare down at the hand, and no more is needed to drive the voice very far away.

"Are you alright?" As if touching me is something common and happens often, no startled or shocked look upon his face he continues to look into my eyes.

I hear gasps and the whispers increase. Temari begins hyperventilating to my left, and Kankuro curses to my far right. The second match ends as if nothing strange was occurring, and the third begins.

I look from his worried gaze, to his bandaged fingers.

What could be different now from only minutes ago?

Minutes ago, he had surprised me, then all I could think of was how my uncle had betrayed me. Now, I had been focused inward, not focusing on the past. That would mean…

My sand does not view him as a threat?

How strange…

Regardless, I reach up, slowly, cautiously, and grab his hand in my own… It's warm, even through my sand armor, I can feel that. He blinks, tilting his head curiously as he watches me fold our hands together.

I feel more calm, suddenly. So I ignore my sister's harsh whispers, Kankuro's continuing curses, every thread of gossip, and even Shukaku. I look back to the stadium, a fourth fight coming out, whatever horror the people around us felt was not conveying to those in the ring.

"… Yes…"

His eyes light up as if I just gave him something priceless, and a red tint erupts from his cheeks as he smiles again, rubbing at the back of his head.

"Wonderful!"

For a few more matches, he talks animatedly, whispering near my ear so as not to disturb the matches; which I do not understand.

I could let Shukaku out on them right now, and I doubt the two in the ring would even notice. They seem determined to rip each other apart.

He only parts from me once, and that was to grab the flying body of his comrade from my sister's jutsu. I do not remember her being to weak; but that could hardly be considered a fight.

That was child's play… though not the one we had taken part in.

Once he knows that his teammate is going to be taken to the hospital, he is back at my side, lying his hand on the rail; an invitation if his smile is anything to go by. I grab his hand again.

It's a connection I've never had before.

It is sometime towards the end that our names show up on the board… against each other.

I don't like it. Because I know I'm going to kill him. By my side, Temari smirks and Kankuro scowls; they know it too. Everyone seems to know it if their looks of sadness, pain, and horror are anything to go by.

The only one who doesn't seem to know… is Lee himself.

He smiles cheekily, giving me a thumbs up.

"Well, Gaara-kun! We shall finally have that fight I had once spoke of! Are you prepared?" He teases, releasing my hands so he can leap, once again, over the rail into the ring. He slides to the opposite end, leaving me on the side of my siblings as he takes the side of his sensei and friends.

I don't want to hurt him. But I know, as I leave the stands and land in the ring in a swirl of hated sand, that I won't be able to stop myself.

Damn it, someone stop me for myself.

* * *

This is a request granted by youdon'tneedtoknow, who I have no idea how to contact to inform her/him that I went along with her suggestion. She wanted a sequel, so I made one; and yes, there shall be a second chapter. Tell me how I'm doing so far, please!


	2. And so, we forgive and heal

I want you to know first and foremost, I am not following the original plot of the Naruto episodes; I'm sure you noticed that before now, but I wanted to make that clear now. I am about to steer nearly entirely clear of the episode where Gaara attempts to kill Lee again; I am about to show a happier alternative. *bows* Enjoy.

* * *

There is a sound of something rustling, and then the feeling of sandpaper covering my entire body as I become conscience. I take a deep breath, feeling the pain of it shoot through my entire body so that I tensed for a moment, before I relaxed again, my mind too hazy to think of the possible danger I was in.

Youth can handle it.

Against my skin, the sand abruptly stops, as does all sound.

"You're awake."

Oh wait… Gaara-kun came to visit me?

Disregarding the look of murderous intentions he had given me in the ring, I force my heavy eyes open so that I may look upon my friend.

He does not look so well… It is there, in the shadows of his eyes, that a sadness lurks.

He should not be sad, he won the extraordinary battle!

"Gaara-kun… Why are… upset?"

… I can not believe that I am not even capable of saying a full sentence! If I can not speak properly to Gaara-kun, I shall do three thousand thumb-ups on my one hand!

He blinks, giving me a look that I have seen often enough. I have come to interpret it as 'your youth startles me'.

Neji-san's interpretation was 'You are insane'. I like mine much better!

"I nearly killed you…" He looks away from me, looking towards the window to where I had just been training before I had passed out.

I can not believe I passed out; I may be injured and likely to be…

I may never be a ninja again…

I can not bring myself to regret finally having the match against Gaara-kun I had wished for since first setting eyes on his red hair! In the back of mind, I am not even blaming him… just myself…

I had become much too cheeky, and I had received my just deserved. I doubt any proud nin lasts long in the field…

"And you will never be a ninja…" he states, as if he wanted to speak my mind aloud. Keeping his head turned to the window, he looks at me out of the corner of his eyes. "…Are you going to fight?"

I blink once, confused for a moment as my vision blurs momentarily, then I nod my head furiously. Which turns out to be a bad idea; I know have an equally furious headache…

At my side, my hand hardly even twitches. It is a sad reminder… I force myself to concentrate through the laxatives and pain, till my hand is partly off of the bed. At that point, another hand touches mine, and gently pushes it back onto the pristine white covers.

Confused, I meet his eyes.

They are very youthful, what with such resolve and determination shining through them!

"I refuse to be at fault for this."

I blink again, this time shocked. "Not… your fault… -kun…"

… That is three thousand thumb ups on my one hand I shall be doing sometime soon.

His fist slams into the bed next to my thigh, the sea-foam color of his eyes narrowing until they seem pinpoints in his eyes.

That can not mean something good. So I reach out with my good hand and lie it against his cheek.

I am not sure if he does so willingly, or against his own will, but he leans into my hand, his teeth gritted as he closes his eyes. I listen to him as he takes one deep breath after another one.

He is very upset… I wish he were not.

"It is my fault. I kill everyone who ever cares for me… I kill everyone… It's what I do…"

I feel the sadness of my own smile as it curls on my face. "You… do not…to do anything…do not want to…" Groggily, I shake my head; it makes my headache worse, and only increases the fuzziness of my own thoughts.

Luckily, he seems to know what I am saying.

He shakes his head, gripping my good hand with one of his one as he rubs against the contact.

He needs so much love; why is no one giving him any?

"I don't have a choice. If I don't kill often enough, I won't be able to control him… I won't be able to keep my promise…"

I blink again, this time, it was harder to life my eyelids.

"…Promise…?"

He looks back out of the window, his sand making irritated swirls throughout my hospital room.

"I promised to love only myself, and to do that, I must feed myself the blood of others. To love myself, I have to make sure that everyone is too afraid of me to hurt me… So no one hurts me like my uncle did."

… I not only know that is sad enough to make one cry, I know I am crying. He looks down at me with alarm, one hand coming up slowly to wipe at the liquid slipping down my cheeks. Cautiously, he wipes at them, and then stares down at his fingers. After a moment of consideration, he brings them to his mouth and licks the salty water off of his fingers, a questioning look on his face before he blinked.

"It tastes like the ocean…"

Another sad smile curls upon my face.

"Gaara… -kun… lean down… please…?"

His eyes swivel to me with distrust in them. It wounds my heart, that he would look at me so, but I do not think trust comes easily to him.

It could also have to do with how the sand does not actually react to me as if I am a danger…

Haltingly, he leans down, eyeing me the entire time as he brought his nose nearly to mine.

Using what strength I have left, I force myself to lean up far enough that my lips press against the 'ai' scar on his temple.

With my sudden advance, he flinches, his hand curling tightly around my hand as sand began to roar around us. It is only a second later when the sand quiets, and his grip goes slack.

I do not think he has ever been kissed before.

Then again, I have never been kissed either, I amend; upon leaning away, he stares with shock at the bed sheets, and then returns the favor. Except, he does not place his kiss on my temple as I had for him. He leans down, and presses his lips to the cast on my arm.

I blink in surprise, and then grin widely.

It was true, having someone kiss a hurt did make it feel better.

"Thank you… -kun…"

I blink once again, and it takes a long moment before I realize I did not open them again. Forcefully, I push them up, feeling as if I am fighting with incredibly heavy weights the entire time.

He stares down at me, still holding my hand to his cheek, and his sand still making random symbols on the floor-…

I squint, and attempt to sit up again. Insistently, he pushes me back down.

"What is on… floor?" I attempt to ask.

He looks from me, to the ground, and then out of the window.

"I didn't want to hurt you… It's not fair that you have to suffer for my madness."

Confused, my eyebrows draw together and my eyelids begin to droop. I do not think I will be able to hold out much longer…

"It's a forbidden jutsu… but it's only forbidden because it's a sand-created jutsu, and takes an extensive amount of chakra. I have both."

I was fading away too fast to be caught on the 'forbidden jutsu' part as I would have wished to be, but I was also to slow to understand what that would have to do with anything.

"…What…?"

He shakes his head, placing my hand to my chest and leans over again.

I am almost shocked out of my approaching sleep when his lips slip against my own… almost, but not quite.

I blink once again, and do not have the will to open them once again.

"I'm binding my chakra to you… so you can follow your ninja way… Once this is done, you will never be able to leave me."

Just barely, I caught what he said. I doubt I heard it right anyway.

Why would Gaara-kun find me worth so much that he would do such a thing for me?

* * *

This, ladies and gentlemen, is the end. It does seem somewhat of a cliffhanger, doesn't it? Unfortunately, I only had enough in me for a two chapter sequel. Maybe, one day and with enough prodding, I will be able to do another sequel to this one.


End file.
